Online Interventions for Gamblers With and Without Co-occurring Problem Drinking

Overview

Many problem gamblers are also problem drinkers,with lifetime prevalence in nationally representative samples ranging from 45% to 73%. Heavy drinking often occurs while problem gamblers are engaging in gambling activities, resulting in increased risky gambling behaviour. Further, co-occurring problem drinking negatively impacts on the treatment outcomes of problem gamblers. Thus, targeting problem drinking among problem gamblers may have the dual benefits of reducing both the problem drinking itself, and of acting as a mediator for reductions in problem gambling behaviour. The present study seeks to determine whether providing simultaneous access to help for gambling and drinking is of benefit for those with these co-occurring problems.

Problem gambling and problem drinking frequently co-occur. Further, the treatment needs of people with co-occurring gambling and drinking problems may be different from those of problem gamblers who do not drink alcohol in a hazardous fashion. The current project will evaluate whether there is a benefit to providing access to a problem drinking Internet intervention (G+A intervention) in addition to an Internet intervention for problem gambling (G-only intervention) in participants with gambling problems who do or do not have co-occurring problem drinking. People with gambling concerns will be recruited using targeted advertisements. Potential participants will be screened using an online survey to identify participants meeting criteria for problem gambling. As part of the baseline screening process, measures of alcohol consumption will be assessed. Eligible participants who agree to take part in the study will be randomized into one of two online interventions for gamblers - an intervention that only targets gambling issues (G-only) versus one that contains an intervention for drinking (G+A). It is predicted that for problem gamblers with co-occurring problem drinking, participants provided access to the G+A website will display significantly reduced gambling outcomes at three- and six-month follow-ups as compared to those provided access to the G-only website. However, for problem gamblers without co-occurring problem drinking, it is predicted that participants will display no significant difference between the G-only and G+A websites at three- and six-month follow-ups.